Control system



p 1945. w. A. RAY 2,384,696

CONTROL SYSTEM 'Filed Feb. 1, 1943 ZSnoentor:

W/u/AM 14.1434),

Gttomeg masses CONTROL svs'rm' William A. Ray, Los

"1 f ales, C.

Application February 1, 1943, Serial N 474,300

' 5 Claims. (01. its-117.1)

My present invention relates to fluid-fuel burner control systems of the type which includes an electrically operated valve for controlling the supply of fuel and a thermoelectric generating device, adapted'to be heated -by.combastion of the fuel employed in the system, for energizing the valve.

An object of the invention is to provide, in a control system of. the character described, means for so controlling the heating of the thermoelectrio generating device as to eflect selective operation of the burner. I v

Another object is to provide, in a burner control system of the character described, a thermoelectric generating device of such capacity that it is capable of operatively energizing an electrically operated valve, of a size adapted to supply fuel to an ordinary space-heating main" burner, without the requirement for supplemental power, such as that provided by the pressure of the supply fuel. An advantage of such direct" electrical operation of the valve is the exclusion or the diaphragm customarily employed in a fluid-pressure operated valve, which diaphragm deteriorates rapidly if it is subjected to high tem-' peratures adjacent a furnace. According to my invention, the thermoelectric generating device is operated only while the main-burner valve is open, so that no fuel is consumed by the auxiliary burner, provided for heating the thermoelectric generating device, while the heating system is out of operation.

A further object is the provision of an additional system for controlling the operation of the aumliary burner for the thermoelectric generating device-which system includes an additional electrically operated valve, an additional thermoelectric generating device for energizing that ralve, and an additional auxiliary burner (con- ;inuously burning) for heating the additional hermoeleotric device; these parts being of such iize and capacity that but a small amount of fuel s required for the operation of the auxiliary wstem.

It will be observed that the system of the present invention is capable of electrically controlling uel supply to a relatively large capacity main umer, without the requirement for supplemental ower, and with minimum continuou consumpion of fuel-while retaining the advantage, in-

herent in a thermoelectrically-energized system, of safety shut-ofi" of. the main burner (due to cessation of generation of electrical energy) in the event of accidental extinguishment of the auxiliary burners, when the some also serve as the means for igniting the main burner; and also the advantage due to the fact that the system isindependent of the usual electrical service.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be found in the description, the drawing, and in the claims; and for full understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description and accompanying drawing, the single figure of which is a mainly diagram matic view of a burner control system embodying my invention.

In the dra, the numeral l l'generally indicates an electrically operated valve which controls passage of fluid fuel from a supply conduit is to a main burner is. Connected to the inlet of the valve ii is a pipe it which leads, through a branch pipe I 5 to a second electrically operated valve it. Connected to the outlet of valve it is a first auxiliary burner l'l, positioned adjacent the main burner is, which auxiliary burner serves to heat a first thermoelectric generating device, generally indicated at it comprising a plurality of thermocouples providing hot junctions l9 adapted to be heated by the flame 20 of auxiliary burner ll. While it may appear in the drawing that the device id extends partly over the main burner, it is to be understood that, in practice,

- seat 32 upon which it is so located that it is not in any way affected by the heat thereof. Connected, at the junction of pipes It and 15,430 the fuel supply is a second auxiliary burner Ed, the flame 22 of which is adapted to heat an additional thermoelectric generating device 23 which is similar to the device l8 but of smaller capacity. -The thermoelectric device I8 is uninterruptedly connected by wires 26 to the valve H, and the device 23 is connected by wires 25 to the second valve it, this connection being through a limit control or thermostat 26 which comprises a. bimetallic member 21 carrying a contact element 28 cooperable with a fixed contact 28.

.The valve ll comprises a casing 30 having a ported partition 3i providing an annular valve 9, disk-like closure member 33 normally rests. The closure member is of magnetic material and is attractable, toward the ing 35. The electromagnet, constituted by core 34 and coil 35, is moimted within a housing 3t which covers an opening through the wall of the casing above the closure member; a thin diaphragm 3?, of. non-magnetic material such as brass, being interposed at its margin between the housing and the casing to shield the electromagnet from th fluid controlled by the valve, and also to serve as a non-magnetic separator between the pole faces and the armature-closuremember 33. The valve II is of the type disclosed in my copending application, Serial No, 456,358, filed August 2'7, 1942, wherein it is taught that there is a considerable advantage in providing the core with enlarged pole-iace-defining heads 38 when the flux density in the core is very low-- such as that produced by an ordinary pilotburner-heated thermoelectric generating device. The valve I5 is considerably smallerv than valve H but is otherwise identical in construction, and its parts have therefore been assigned numerals which are the same as those of the corresponding parts in valve l 6, except with a prime mark added.

As shown in the drawing, both of the valves are closed, so that neither the main burner l3 nor the large auxiliary burner I1 is in operation. The small auxiliary burner 2|, however, is func-- tioning since it is continuously supplied with fuel, and the small thermoelectric generating device 23 is therefore heated. The system, as illustrated,-

electric generating device l8 so that, in a short.

space of time, energy is produced thereby in an amount suflicient to cause attraction to open position of the closure member 33 of thelarge valve H; the fuel then passing to the main burner l3 being ignited by the flame of burner 11 or 2|, these burners being so arranged that either of them can serve as a pilot burner for the main burner. When, in response to operation of the main burner, the thermostat subsequently opens the energizing circuit of the small valve l6, fuel supply to the large auxiliary burner I1 is stopped, and upon resultant cessation of generation of energy by the large thermoelectric device l8, due to the cooling thereof, the large valve II also closes, obstructing fuel supply to the main burner. In the event of extinguishment of the normally continuously-burning small auxiliary burner 2| during a period in which heating is discontinued, upon subsequent closing of the thermostat contacts no further result is produced inasmuch as no energy is then available for operating the small valve l6, and escape of additional unburnt fuel is thus prevented.

While I have herein shown and described a specific embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention, and that I intend therefore to be limited only by the scope ofthe appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a burner control system: a main burner, an electrically operated valve for controlling supply of fuel to said main burner, a thermoelectric generating device for operatively energizing said valve and uninterruptedly connected thereto, a first auxiliary burner for heating said thermoelectric generating device, valve means operable between open and closed positions for controlling supply of fuel t said first auxiliary burner, and a continuously-burning second auxiliary burner for igniting the fuel at said first auxiliary burner,

at least one of said auxiliary burners also serving to ignite the fuel at the main burner.

2. In a burner control system: a main burner, a first electrically operated valve for controlling supply of fuel to said main burner, a first thermoelectric generating device for operatively en.-

ergizing said' first valve, a first auxiliary burner for heating said first thermoelectric generating device, a second ,-lectrically operated valve for controlling supply of fuel to said first auxiliary burner, a second thermoelectric generating device for operatively energizing said second valve, a second auxiliary burner for heating said second thermoelectric generating device, and \means for controlling the energization of said second valve, at least one of said auxiliary burners also serving to ignite the fuel at said main burner.

3. In a burner control system: a main burner, a first electrically operated valve for controlling supply of fuel to said main burner, a first thermoelectric generating device for operatively energizing said first valve, a first auxiliary burner for heating said first thermoelectric generating device, a second electrically operated valve for a second auxiliary burner for heating said second thermoelectric generating device, and means for,

controlling the energization of said second valve, said first thermoelectric generating device being I so constructed that it is capable of generating power considerably in excess of that generated by said second thermoelectric generating device. 4. In a burner control system: a main burner, a first electrically operated valve for controlling supply of fuel to said main burner, a first thermoelectric generating device for operatively energizing said first valve and uninterruptedly connected thereto, a first auxiliary burner for heating said first thermoelectric generating device, a second valve for controlling supply of fuel to said first auxiliary burner and electrically operable between open and closed'positions,'a second thermoelectric generating device for operatively energizing said second valve, a continuouslyburning second auxiliary burner for heating said second thermoelectric generating device and having a fuel capacity which is small as compared with that of said first auxiliary burner, and means for controlling the energization of said second valve.

5. In a burner control system: a main burner, a first electrically operated valve for controlling supply of fuel to said main burner, a first thermoelectrie generating device for operatively energizing said first valve and uninterruptedly connected thereto, a first auxiliary burner for heatin said first thermoelectric generating device, a second valve for controlling supply of fuel to said first auxiliary burner and electrically operable between open and closed positions, a second thermoelectric generating device for operatively energizing said second valve, a continuously-burning second auxiliary burner for heating said second thermoelectric generating device and having a fuel capacity which is small as compared with that of said first auxiliary burner, at least .one

of said auxiliary burners" also serving to ignite the fuel at said main burner, and thermostatic means responsive to the operation of said main burner for controlling the energization of said wnmMA. RAY.

8 second .valve. 

